In Which
by theotherview
Summary: In which you are Elsa of Corona, you are hungry and so very tired. Life pushes you a lot of places, from the church, to the streets, to the farm, and somehow into the court of the ever clueless Queen of Arendelle. (Peasant!Elsa AU. Queen!Anna AU.)


_In Which : Chapter One, In which you are both Anna and Elsa at a young age. Don't worry, eventually the two get a bit of interaction next chapter. I only wanted to test the water with the writing style and such. Thanks for checking this out and please do enjoy!_

**Act One, Scene One : In which you are a tired, hungry, nine year old. **

You are Elsa of Corona.

The buildings are massive around you and as night settles in, their shadows consume your entire world. Even the dim glow of the lanterns scattered about the cobblestone street only give you an ominous ideal of what is around you. Sulking figures and cheap cigars brush past you and you try not to cough the smoke back into their long coats. You know these streets, luckily, your feet have ached on their uneven cobblestone for a while now and you nearly know each brick by heart. You brush past one tall figure, declining his offer to buy whatever it is he has hidden in his pocket. You fade into the alley you call home, falling forward and collapsing into the only bed you know.

You are Elsa of Corona, you are small and you are so very tired.

Your body aches and the hay beneath you claws at your skin. You don't make an effort to scratch it, you even leave the strands of hay pushing through your thick braid. You've spent hours just wandering around, hoping someone would notice the holes in the knees of your high socks. You had hoped someone would hear the rumbling of your stomach.

Nothing.

What were you to do but lay here?

Here, of course, being the broken cart behind the bakery. You can smell fresh bread, fresh pastries. You can hear people inside clanging pans and making the ruckus that always keeps you awake. You roll on your back, letting your icy pools melt into the sky. At least that was always there for you, the sky, that is. No matter who else left you or what happened, the sky was always there. It changes a lot, too much, in fact. But you don't mind, it's there for you, and that's all that matters.

You wave to your friends, the stars and they wave back, one big tail of light flashing across the sky. Make a wish, you tell yourself. You shut your eyes tight and wish for the same thing that you always do when the sky grants you a favor, you wish for a real meal that isn't stale bread, you wish for new socks, and above all, you wish for a real place to sleep.

**Act One, Scene Two : In which you are a grumpy eight-year-old with a thirst for adventure.**

You are Anna of Arendelle.

The building you live in is eighty-thousand-million times your size as far as you know. Okay, maybe you're not great at math, but you're not about to get out a ruler and double check. In fact, you have much more important business to attend to. For instance, there are maids to bother and butlers who have to yell "Don't touch that!" as you knock a priceless vase off a table. (Which is a total accident every time! You've only broken a dozen or two.)

Your dress catches the slight draft from the windows that are also far larger than you and your tights nearly rip as you skid around the corner of a corridor. You've got that expression on your face again, the one where your missing tooth is shown to the world by a big smile. Your freckles nearly connect as your cheeks rise. You're looking for an adventure.

"Princess Anna?" A voice behind you nearly makes you squeal. You freeze entirely and you bring your hands close to your chest. You turn slowly on your heels and look up at the big nose blocking the rest of your captor's face.

"Yeah?" You rock on the balls of your feet and pull your biggest, most adorable smile.

"You should be in bed," he says, his ugly, probably smelly nose hairs the only thing your height allows you to see. He doesn't even look down to you, his big belly pulling at his black slacks. His stupid white shirt all tucked in and his stupid black tie all straight and proper. He's too likely to bully you and boss you around, you think. It's always rules, rules, rules. Never any fun!

"It's only midnight!" You whine.

"Only?" He scoffs. "Come on, I'll escort you to your room."

"But _Kai_," you start to sniffle, apparently unconvincingly as he grabs your hand. Your shoulders slump and your frown nearly touches your chin. You stare down at your feet as he pulls you through the way-too-long hallways until you reach your room.

"Now, go to bed before I wake your father," Kai says.

"Father would let me have fun," you grumble as you sulk into your room.

"We'll see about that," Kai says as he shuts your door behind you.

You're already eight-years-old, when will your life begin? It's always sit up straight, brush your hair, don't sleep past sunrise, chocolate is not a healthy snack. How could anyone knock chocolate?! You fall face first into the soft, comfy bed that they for some reason think needs to be made everyday. Your arms stretch out and you let a dramatic groan fade into the fabric.

"I'm gonna be stuck in here forever," you whine. You pull your chin up, propping your grumpy expression up on your arm. You gaze out your window and see the only light that falls into your room. The sky is awake, you think. It's awake and it gets to see everything, every place and every wonder. It probably even gets to see magic! Magic like-

"Wow!" You gasp. A thin burst of light soars through the sky for that one single moment and you shut your eyes tight. Your nose crinkles and you focus, it's gotta be perfect.

"Dear mister star," you whisper. "I wish I had a best friend, like one I could go on adventures with," you nod. "I _also_ wish that Kai would fall in a large, stinky hole, but if you can only do one wish then I pick the friend one, okay?"

"That'd be good," you nod, satisfied with your request. A best friend to go on adventures with, there'd be nothing better. Your best friend would probably think chocolate was the best meal for every meal. They'll probably even slouch just like you! Maybe they'll be a better adventurer than Joan!

"Wow," you gasp again. Better than Joan?

That had to be a magical wish, or a miracle or somethin'.

You close your eyes and imagine your best friend, your adventurer, you imagine they're the coolest person ever. You keep thinking of what the sky must see and how when your wish comes true, maybe you'll see it all too.


End file.
